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Chatting with Melissa Love for #KodakMoment

Mother, graphic designer and photographer, Melissa Love was the very first person we featured in our #KodakMoment series in the UK, where we ask people to tell a story in three photographs. Melissa moved from Brighton to the beautiful fishing village of Fowey in Cornwall two years ago and finds that photography provides her with the perfect opportunity to be creative and relax. We caught up with her to ask her what makes her tick…

You can see Melissa’s three #KodakMoment photos below:

Probably the most photos I take are of my kids when they don’t know I’m there. I tuck myself out of the way. They don’t pose – they’re bored of me!

Q: What drives you to take photographs?
A: Once you start seeing something you get into the habit of good composition, and with my graphic design background you see everything with a good frame. I find it very relaxing.

Q: What cameras do you use? Film vs digital?
A: I use both film and digital. I have a digital SLR Canon 5D MK2, and sometimes my smartphone is easily enough for my needs – I have a lot of camera apps on my phone. I’m a big Instagrammer. I like the discipline of using film too, and I also have an old Polaroid camera.

Melissa’s daughter Grace having fun with the sprinkles during a baking session

Q: What inspires you to get out there and shoot?
A: What doesn’t! I usually get inspired when I’m out somewhere with my kids, taking them to the beach. I also do a lot of street photography – any situation can inspire me. It can be mundane, or it could be a shot of dream weather. I have to consciously not take the camera with me sometimes.

Q: What are your favourite subjects to photograph?
A: Probably the most photos I take are of my kids when they don’t know I’m there. I tuck myself out of the way. They don’t pose – they’re bored of me! They’re used to it, as I’m not up in their faces. Grace is a complete show-off, and Lily doesn’t want to be left out.

Q: Which photographers do you admire and why?
A: Alain Laboile. He takes pictures of his kids – he lives on a muddy farm and his photos are stunning and very different. He has really inspired my work. My favourite photo of all time would be one of his.

Grace larking about outdoors during stormy weather

Q: Do you like having your photo taken?
A: I’m trying not to mind it. There’s only one photo of me together with my children, and my new year’s resolution is to ask a photographer to take a photo of all of us together. I love looking back at old photos of my Mum and I want my children to know how I looked at various points in my life, too. You can’t wait forever – you just need to get on with it.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure?
A: I eat lunch at my desk – as I don’t have that much time due to working within school hours, I will be eating a bowl of noodles while working, while being on the phone to a client – sometimes they can hear me slurping.

Q: What would be the first thing you’d rescue in a house fire?
A: After my children, my Mac!

Q: Tell us a secret about yourself.
A: I can make balloon animals, including a sausage dog, a cat and a bird on a swing!

Grace signalling to a family friend that changing nappies is a smelly business